When lower back pain strikes it can take away your mobility, your peace of mind, and your enjoyment of life. Lower back pain is very common. Millions of people suffer from lower back pain and struggle to find lower back pain remedies that help.
How can you deal with lower back pain naturally and reduce the discomfort of this common condition? Traditional medicine looks at how the spine is physically aligned and how the muscles are working in the back. This works for many people, but others find they need a more holistic approach to managing and curing lower back pain.
Learn more about how to care for back pain the natural way.
1) Use Hot and Cold to Ease Back Pain
One of the simplest remedies for lower back pain is the application of hot or cold pads. Applying cold pads to the lower back helps to reduce inflammation and it also takes down pain levels as it acts as an anesthetic, preventing nerve spasms. Heat therapy is also useful because it stimulates the flow of blood around the body and it also eases pain by blocking pain signals to the brain. It is obviously important to use low-level forms of heat so you do not risk scalding or burning the body. As a general rule, it should be the application of ice as the pain begins, and heat later. Ice works as the pain reliever and then the heat helps to get the blood flowing and reduce the spasms.
2) Use a Pepper Rub
It may not sound very inviting, but a cream containing capsaicin, the active ingredient in pepper, helps to lessen the sensation of pain in the body and block pain pathways. Choose a cream with a good level of capsaicin and test a little on the skin first to make sure you will not react to the substance.
3) Increase the Flow of Endorphins
Give a big boost to managing any type of pain by ensuring that the endorphins are flowing well around the body. Endorphins are the hormones that your body produces to lift mood and reduce pain. These hormones actually help to block the signals that tell your body your back hurts, which can reduce the amount of pain medication you need to take. How do you release endorphins naturally? Try exercise (the aerobic kind), get some massage therapy, try meditation or another guided imagery practice, or simply relax with a good laugh together with good friends.
4) Eat Pineapples
Or take bromelain, which is the natural substance that comes from pineapples. This is an effective enzyme for reducing pain levels, improving circulation, and helping with inflammation – all factors which are associated with lower back pain.
5) Sleeping Helps Reduce Lower Back Pain
Unfortunately it is often a vicious circle – back pain causes insomnia, and insomnia causes more back pain. It is important that you look into treating your sleep issues if you have lower back pain. When you are able to get high quality rest every night, your pain levels naturally lower.
6) Stretch out Your Hamstrings
Tight hamstrings can cause a painful back as the hamstrings, which are in the back of the things, pull too much on your lower back. Stretching should be a daily thing and be done carefully with control.
7) Get the Best Posture
It is a good idea to get some professional help to find out how to improve your posture for preventing back pain. Your posture should put minimal pressure on your back, and instead should support your back and make it easy for you to stand comfortably and sit with ease, without stretching the muscles or twisting the spine in an unnatural fashion.
8) Valerian is Associated with Helping Lower Back Pain
Valerian is a herb and experts think it causes a sedative effect in the brain, which helps to dampen the pain response. It is not ideal to use sedatives to improve pain levels, whether they are natural or not, but in moderation this herb can be effective for lower back pain problems.
In all cases, the cure for lower back pain can take some time. You may need to experiment with different lower back pain remedies and techniques before you hit upon the solution that benefits your own individual pain problem. If you are also taking medication for pain it is a good idea to check with a doctor before starting any natural pain relief regime. Natural painkillers may interact with other medications. Lower back pain does not need to be something you suffer with forever, and there are ways to treat lower back pain without turning to strong prescription drugs. By trying natural remedies and living a healthy lifestyle with plenty of exercise, you can limit the impact pain has on your life.
